Timer



Aug. 4, 125.

J. J. DOBES ET AL TIMER Filed June 2]., 1920 Patented Aug. 4, 1925.

PATENT. oFrlca.

JOSEPH J. DOIBES AND BEN JELINEK, F OHICAGO,-ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO THE ANDERSON COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

" TIMER.

' To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, Josnrn J. DQBES BEN JELINEK, citizens of the United States,

and residents of the city of Chicago, in the to the numerals of reference marked thereon, which formapart of this specification.

This invention relates to an improved form of timer to be used particularly with Ford automobiles, but which, obviously, can be adapted to any machine and those having any number of cylinders.

The parts of the ordinary commutator, such as the roller, spring, the fibre lining and the metal contacts in the shell, become.v

badly worn in a short time, necessitating, frequent replacement in order to obtain efficient operation of the engine. These parts placedonly by a skilled, mechanic and .at considerable trouble and consequent expense. I

In operation, the ordinary commutator becomes clogged with dirt and oil which lodge on the roller, spring, and the fixed metal contacts, likewise in cold weather the,

I oil, gums, consequently preventing the proper completion and breaking ofxthe primary current at the correct t1me, thereby causing the secondary high volta ecurrent to jump the spark gaps inthe cy inders at the wrong moment, and sometimes results in the production of such a weaksecondary" current thatnq spark will'occur at the terminals of the spark plug, thereby causing inefiicient operation of the engine.

proper distribution of the current. l I A further object. of the invention is to Y "ductio'n ofa timer whch always insures the provide a commutator which is madeof wear and,

hardened material not likely which, even if it does wear, will operate .in

just as efiicient a manner as when new.

Another object of theinvention isto provide a commutator which will operate 'posi-' tively even if quite a substantial amount of grease and dirt have found their way into thesame.

Still another object of the invention is to modifications of the contact members, ,Fig

This invention has forits object the pro mania filed June 21, 1920. Serial No. 390,305.

provide a timer in which the wiping contacts are self-cleanin A still further object of the invention is to provide a commutator made of stock parts, which parts can be assembled without any nicety of adjustment andwhich will nevertheless result in a perfect timing of the spark in operation.

Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the specification and the accompanying drawings.

The invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved timer, parts being shown in section.

' Figure 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, parts being'omitted. are expensive and can ordinarily be re-. T

Figure 4 is an underslde view of the movin? contact member.

igure 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1, looking in the direction tion.

"Figures? and 8 represent two different ure 7 being partly in section. As shown on the drawings: :The reference numerals 1, 2 4 and 3 mdicate the contact plugs for the lead wires leading from the primary coil of the tion system of the car and are numbere correspond with the order of firing of the respective cylinders ofthe engine. These plugs consist of the ordinary nuts and bolts 11, as shown, and are carefully insulated from the case 10- of the timer by insulating washers 12 and plates 14 of fibre or the like.-

The plates 14; preferably have at least two parallelv sides, and one of these sides is held against the inwardly proilecting angular portion of the case 10, as s own 111 Figure 2, thereby preventmg any relatlve turnln of the plate 14. These plates 14 are .forme in the shapeof circular arcs so as to fit closely against the inner sides of the case 10 and their turning about the bolts 11 is there-' lating washers 12 and 14", the washer 14".

v30 inserted to hold the same in fixed end of the cam shaft 19 is the moving contact member 20, which replaces the ordinary roller and roller arm. The contact member 20, is pivoted at '22 to a cap 24:, whichfits on the end of the cam shaft 19 and is held fixed thereon by means of a nut 26, cap washer 28 and key pin 30. The

contact member 20 is normally held in operative position by a helical spring 32, as

shown, and a lever 35 is provided for connection with the spark adjusting control.

In the modification shown in Figure 7, the extending fixed contact member 16 is not curved but is made as an integral extension of the bolt 11, constituting a .bolt 11 with a round or square head 16*? and is held in position by the nut 1 and insubeing made thicker in this case. This contact 16 is held in position without the necessity of the points18. I

Figure 8 represents another modification in which the fixed contact member 16 is bent backwardly in the form. of a U and is held inposition by means of small projections or points 18 in the same manner as those of the'S-shaped blade 16, the points (not shown) co-operating with the fixed insulating washer 14 as in the case described. I

The operation is as follows: The cap 24 having the contact member 20 pivotally mounted thereon is placed on the end of the cam shaft and the key pin 051- tion against slipping aroundjthe siaft. The cap washer 28 and nut are then fixed Y in place thereby holding the pin 30, the

cap 24, and the contact member 20 in fixed position on the end of the camshaft 19. The fixed contact members 16 are assembled in the case 10 in an obvious manner. by means of the bolts'11, the straight side of I the fibre insulatingl washer 14 and the points 18 acting to 1d the members 16 in positively fixed position. As these memers 16 are all stampings and therefore all exactly alike, and as the bolts 11, fibre washers 12, and the plates 14 are also all exactly alike, res tively, the I contact members 16 can e quickly and easily placed in their correct positions in the case 10 without any possibility of-error, and the timing of the spark.

resultant perfect spacing insures a correct The spring 32 acts to produce positive contact at every point with equal pressure on each, and this" spring pressed wiping action also acts to keep the points clean, and the oiiset of the contacting ends of the members 16 from the walls of the casing will insure positive operation-of the timer at all times even when it is partly filled with grease and dirt. Further, the members-16 are so spaced from each other that the movable contact member 20 cannot make contact with more than one at atime, thereby positively avoiding short circuits.

'As shown, the cam shaft 19 and the contact member 20 rotate in a clockwise direction, thereby producing sparks in the cylinders 1, 2, 4 and 3 successively, and an extending lug 34 is provided on the member 20 toprevent the spring 32 from pushing it into an abnormal position while it is between two members 16, thereby preventing any possibility of contact with two members 16 at once. It will be seen that the break between the members 16 and 20 is sharp, thereby producing the desired hot spark. The projecting lever 35 is provided in" order to allow of the advancing or retarding of the spark in the ordinary manner. I Y I While specific embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings, it will of course be understood that minor changes. and obvious variations may be made in the particular constructions shown, and the invention may be embodied in other forms, as will appeal to those skilled in the art and falling within the scope of the a pended claims, without departing from t e spirit of the invention.

We claim as our invention:

1. A timer including a casing, a plurality pivotal contact member outwardly, each of.

the contact members on. the casing consisting of a continuous substantially rigid metal strip shaped to provide a base portion at I one end thereof secured to the casing, an intermediate outstanding part at one end of said base portion, and an outercontactportion spaced from the casing and extending at an angle to said outstandin part and forwardll therefrom to one side of said base portion, whereby a firm support for the contact portion is afforded while providingofor slight yielding thereof to prevent re unding upon impact of the rotary contact member therewith.

A timer including a casing, a-plurality of contact members on the casing, and a rotatable contact member to coo crate with the firstmentioned contact mem ers on the casing, the contact member of the rotary shaft comprising a rigid metal plate pivotally connected at one end to said shaft, and resilient 'means for pressing the outer part of said pivoted cont-act member outwardly,-

each of the contact members on the casing consisting of a continuous substantially rigid metal blade of substantially S-shape of substantially rigid metal contacts on the "casing having contact portions spaced from the wall of the casin in combination with a rotary shaft dispose centrally of the casing and havin a contact member to cooperate with the on the casing, the contact member on the rotary shaft comprising a continuous-rigid .metal plate pivotally connected at one end to saidshaft, said plate having an outer curved contact portion and reinforcing side tion extending along the sides thereof, and

. resilient means for pressing the outer curved contact part of the last mentioned contact member outwardly. 1

4.;A timer .for; internal combustion engines, comprising, incombination, a casing, a plurality of fixed contact members in said casing, each of said contacts being a substantlally S-shaped blade,..one of the limbs .of saidiblade' being curved .to conform to and having the circular wall of the casing,

' a hole therethrough, .a bolt in said hole for securing the contact member to the inner surface of said casing,. there being two in sulating washers upon .each bolt, one outside and one inside the casing, the inside washers against rotation, projections on the fixed contaet'members, said projections being embedded in the fixed rst mentioned contact members washersfa shaft in said casing and projecting therefrom to connect with the engine, a rotor removably secured to said shaft, said rotor having an extension, a movable contact member or brush pivoted to said extension, said brush being a hollow curved Stamping the convex side of which is in the direction of the S-shaped contact members. 5. A timer including a casing, a plurality of contacts on the'casing, a rotatable contact member to cooperate with the first men tioned contacts on the casing, each ,of the contact members on the casing comprising a continuous substantially rigid metal strip having a base portion at one end the areof secured to the casing, an intermediate outstanding part, and an outer contact portion extending at an angle to said outstanding part in a plane s aced from said base portion, whereby a firm support for the contact portion is afforded while providing for slight yielding thereof to prevent rebounding upon impact of the rotary contact member therewith. 1

6. A timer including a casing, a plurality of contact members on the casing, a rotatable contact member to cooperate withthefirst mentioned contacts on the casing, each of the contact members on the casing comprising a continuous substantially rigid metal strip web portions for said curved contact .porh aving a base portion at one end thereof secured to the casing, an intermediate outstanding part, and an outer contact portion spaced from the casing and extending at an angle to said outstanding part and forwardly therefrom to one side of said base portion,

whereby a firm support for the contact portion is afforded while providing for slight yielding thereof to prevent rebounding upon impact of the rotary contact member therewith.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names in the presence of two subscribingwitnesses.

JOSEPH J. DoBEs. BEN JELINEK. Witnesses:

EARL M. HARDINE LAWRENCE Bnresrnm. 

